First Name Basis
by cumberland river relic
Summary: What if Daphne Moon tried to prevent Niles from marrying Mel? Story contains psychic visions, a bottle of wine, and the Winnebago!
1. Chapter 1: What a Difference a Day Makes

**First Name Basis**

Summary:

What if Daphne Moon tried to prevent Niles from marrying Mel? Story contains psychic visions, a bottle of wine, and the Winnebago!

Author's notes:

I do not own the TV show Frasier. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes only. I get no compensation from it.

I've been a fan of Frasier for many years, and I enjoyed the episode "Something Borrowed, Someone Blue." But what if a forewarned Daphne tried to prevent Niles and Mel from getting married?

What follows is an alternative to the story of that episode where Niles and Daphne's roles reverse. Things change greatly as the story progresses. For instance, Morey's wine didn't spoil. Niles and Mel went to a resort hotel outside Seattle instead of a cabin. And Daphne drives the Winnebago!

Daphne Moon tells us the story.

*******What A Difference A Day Makes** *****

I suppose it's a minor thing among all the big changes that my life has gone through in the last twenty-four hours, but it dawned on me that I was now on a first name basis with the whole Crane clan. It's funny to think back to how that and everything else happened...

*******Achy-Breaky Heart** *****

We, that is Dr. Crane, Dr. Crane, Mr. Crane, Mel, and myself, had just gotten back from the funeral of Morey, the doorman in our building. I had been upset for awhile and Morey's passing didn't help matters any. I was already tense, but a gesture of friendship from Mr. Crane sent me over the edge. Bits and pieces of the conversation remain in my memory, but mostly I recall a feeling of despair.

_"Oh, Mr. Crane, you're so sweet..."_

Morey's widow had presented Mr. Crane with a vintage bottle of wine from Morey's collection. Being more a beer and pork rinds fellow than a wine and brie connoisseur, Mr. Crane in turn gave it to me. I'd grown fond of Mr. Crane over the years, to the extent of thinking of him as a surrogate father. When he presented me the bottle, it reminded me of all the changes looming in my life. Marriage, leaving the Crane home, and my feelings about a certain person all had converged to turn my world topsy-turvy. The flood of thoughts proved too much and I started crying.

_"Daph, it's no big deal, it's just a bottle of wine..."_

Everyone assumed that Morey the doorman's passing or Mr. Crane's gift of the vintage wine to me had caused my tears. They assumed wrong of course. One matter above all else had haunted both my waking thoughts and my troubled dreams - my feelings for Niles Crane. Something good did come out of the scene I made; I had finally told someone about my feelings for Dr. Crane. Oddly, it was his brother.

_"Dr. Crane, I found out how your brother feels about me..."_

Dr. (Frasier) Crane was so good to listen to me. First I told Dr. Crane that I'd discovered his brother's long-standing feelings for me. Or course Dr. Crane got sidetracked when I revealed that it was he himself when he was under medication who had let me in on the secret. That was the first time I'd ever told my boss to shut up.

_"Oh, will you forget about those pills..."_

When I got back to the point of the conversation, Dr. Crane looked incredulous. Was it so bizarre that I might be attracted to Niles Crane? After I finished pouring out my troubles to him, Dr. Crane advised me to talk to his brother.

_"Do you know when your brother will return to his apartment..."_

Of course it turned out that his brother and Mel had left for an out-of-town getaway to a resort hotel some distance from Seattle. On top of that Dr. Crane (Frasier) had told Dr. Crane (Niles) to take some risks, to go outside his comfort zone. That made me start to cry all over again. Mr. Crane and Simon had reentered the room, and Mr. Crane still thought the bottle of wine had caused my outburst. The two of them scooted through the living room as fast as they could, they didn't want to stay anywhere close to a sobbing woman.

Thankfully Dr. Crane stayed with me until I stopped crying. For once he was the voice of reason.

"Now, Daph, Niles will be back in a few days. Then you'll be able to talk to him."

"I guess so."

"Just remember, when he does get back, think about what you want to tell him. Speak from the heart."

I nodded my head.

"I feel so much better now, I've been going through hell these last few days. How can I ever thank you?"

"Well, if you're not interested in Morey's bottle of wine..."

Even though he had been joking (I think), I had gotten control of myself enough to swat my boss on the shoulder.

"Oh, go ahead. Donny and I aren't..."

It dawned on me mid-sentence how ludicrous it was to refer to Donny and me as a couple when I'd just admitted to Dr. Crane that I was in love with his brother. Or that I might be. I still hadn't out-and-out admitted it.

"Daph?" Dr. Crane could certainly tell now how I felt.

"Keep it. I won't be needing it."

"Daph, thank you for the bottle. I'll make sure to save it for a special occasion. Let me know how else I can be of help."

Dr. Crane could be so considerate when he wanted to be. I hugged him and went off to my room to lie down.


	2. Chapter 2: Going Out of My Head

**First Name Basis**

Summary:

What if Daphne Moon tried to prevent Niles from marrying Mel? Story contains psychic visions, a bottle of wine, and the Winnebago!

Author's notes:

I do not own the TV show Frasier. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes only. I get no compensation from it.

*******Going Out of My Head Over You** *****

Sleep never came to me so I got up mid-afternoon to track down Mr. Crane and run him through his exercises. After several protests and pork rinds, he helped me spread out the exercise mat. We'd just begun the last set of his leg stretches when a force took over my mind. My body started to waver. In the background I heard Mr. Crane ask me if I was all right. I couldn't reply. Our roles suddenly reversed - I felt Mr. Cranes hands grasp my arms to steady me.

I was no longer in the living room of the Crane residence. Instead, I stood in a dimly lit restaurant at night. Another one of my infrequent visions had begun.

The restaurant had an outdoorsy decor, it looked like the kind of nice but informal eating place you often saw at resort hotels. Goodness knows I'd seen enough around Washington state and British Columbia while living with the Crane boys all these years.

This vision was not unlike others that I had. In it I was merely an observer, not a participant. I could move around but no one saw or heard me.

The room was full of two groups of people: couples and families. The families all had a mother, a father, and one or two small children. The parents were busy trying to keep their little ones in line. The children were having a hard time eating their food.

The couples focused on each other. At some tables they were just gazing at themselves across the candle light. At others they went further and were holding hands. They all seemed in love. I felt a pang of envy for both groups of people in the room.

Moving around further I spied a large picture window. Outside was a forest scene like I had viewed often in the Pacific Northwest. Lights from the restaurant illuminated a circle of ground outside.

As I neared the window the couple sitting at the table in front of it came into clear view. I gasped. There, holding hands, sat Niles Crane and Mel Karnovsky. They weren't holding hands so much as Mel had clasped one of his hands with both of hers. Nonetheless they were both gazing at each other.

When I got beside them at the table I heard Dr. Crane's voice slice through the noise of the crowd.

"Then it's settled. We'll find a Justice of the Peace in the morning."

What did Dr. Crane mean by that?

"I can hardly wait. By this time tomorrow we'll be sitting here, only I won't be Dr. Mel Karnovsky any more."

"No, we'll be Dr. and Dr. Niles Crane."

My stomach flip-flopped when I realized what was happening. They'd just decided to get married. Then I got another shock.

I heard a noise just outside the window. Peering through the window I saw myself lying beneath it shrieking. That's exactly how I felt. The man I finally realized that I loved had just agreed to marry another woman.

As abruptly as the vision came it left. I found myself back in the Crane living room with Mr. Crane shaking me.

"Daphne, Daphne. Hey, Daph, are you OK?"

Mr. Crane had worry etched over his face.

"No I'm not."

"What is it?"

"I just had another one of my visions."

"Didn't that business stop a long time ago?"

"I hadn't had any since the night I got engaged."

"What happened this time?"

I looked at the kind face of the man in front of me - the father of the man I loved - and I couldn't do anything besides shake my head.

"I can't talk about it right now. I've got somewhere to go."

"Where?"

"To that resort your son was going to."

"Is something wrong with Niles? Did you see him hurt?"

"Worse. I saw him planning to marry Mel."

Mr. Crane winced.

"You're right. That is worse."

"I've got to go."

"Now calm down, Daph. It's just your pre-wedding jitters acting up."

"No. I can't stay here. I've got to go up there."

"Look, Daph. You know I think that witch is a minor league version of Maris, but aren't you jumping to conclusions?"

"No, I saw it, clear as a bell."

Mr. Crane's expression changed slightly. Like he must have been when he was on the police force, his questioning mind took over.

"Daphne, even if your vision was true, what does it matter to you?"

That brought back my tears from the morning with a vengeance. Mr. Crane, like his son earlier, embraced me.

"Oh, Mr. Crane, I know about your son."

At the instant the words came out of my mouth, his hands tensed on my shoulders. He moved back so he could look me in the eye.

"Know what?"

"I know how he feels about me."

"Who told you?"

"Your son. The other one."

"Figures. How did Loose Lips spill the beans?"

"It was when he was on those pills for his back pain. He told me how his brother felt but he didn't realize it."

"But that still doesn't explain why you're crying."

Officer Martin Crane was in full interrogation mode.

"After I found out, I couldn't get Dr. Crane out of my mind. I kept thinking about him and me and how we'd be together."

At this the elder Crane snorted.

"I'd figured as much."

This observation made me quit sobbing for a moment.

"What?"

"I've seen the way you've been looking at Niles the last few weeks. I've got eyes, you know."

"Was I that obvious?"

"To me you were. Like that day you were helping Niles cook that meal. You weren't just tending to the burn on his hand, were you?"

That was one memory I'd especially held onto the last few weeks. Dr. Crane had me helping him cook a meal for Mel. We'd had such a good time, trading jokes and making silly remarks. Then without thinking he grabbed a hot pan handle.

When I rubbed the first aid cream on his hand I got carried away. No, I wasn't just tending to his hand. I shook my head no then I crossed my arms.

"You know, if I'd talked to you I'd never have had to go see that psychiatrist. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't have caused the car wreck."

"Not bad for an old geezer, huh?"

Mr. Crane started laughing which made me reach out to smack him on the arm.

"Quit toying with me, Martin. I've worried myself sick over the past few weeks. Now I see the man I'm meant to be with, your son I might add, marrying a woman no one in this family likes."

Mr. Crane got serious quickly.

"You just called me Martin."

"Well, I did, didn't I. You have a problem with that, Mr. Crane?"

"No, I've been wanting you to for years."

Suddenly another image came in my mind. There was Niles Crane, standing in a wedding chapel, slipping a ring on a woman's finger. I couldn't see the woman's face though.

"Oh, Martin. I just saw your son putting a ring on someone's finger."

"Daph, Niles wouldn't go off and marry someone on the spur of the moment. He's not like that."

"Your other son told me that he'd convinced his brother to step out of his comfort zone. He might just well do that."

Martin Crane rolled his eyes.

"When will this family learn not to take Frasier's advice?"

In spite of the situation I laughed before getting serious again.

"Martin, I don't care what you or Dr. Frasier Crane or anyone else says. I've got to see your son before it's too late."

"OK, Daph."

Then it hit me. My car was in the shop.

"I don't have my car." I looked up at Mr. Crane. "Can I borrow yours?"

It was Mr. Crane's turn to drop his head.

"I loaned it to Simon awhile ago."

"Simon?" Hearing my brother's name brought my blood to a boil.

"He said he needed it for a date this afternoon."

"That good-for-nothing..."

"Calm down, Daph. He should be back in a few hours."

"Don't you understand. I-we don't have a few hours."

All of a sudden Mr. Crane started to sound exactly like his elder son when he gets in one of his self-confident analytical moods.

"Look, he's not going to do anything rash. These visions are probably just your subconscious pushing you to talk with Niles about how you two..."

I was in no mood to hear a Crane lecture, especially from the Crane least likely to give one. Besides, an idea had popped into my head. I interrupted him.

"Martin, I need a favor. A big favor."

"What?"

"I need to borrow your Winnebago."


	3. Chapter 3: Moving On

**First Name Basis**

Summary:

What if Daphne Moon tried to prevent Niles from marrying Mel? Story contains psychic visions, a bottle of wine, and the Winnebago!

Author's notes:

I do not own the TV show Frasier. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes only. I get no compensation from it.

*******Movin' On** *****

"Remember how Mr. Crane said to judge your turns" I told myself as yet another intersection full of cars honked their horns at me. Thankfully I hadn't wrecked the Winnebago yet, although I couldn't be sure that I hadn't caused any mishaps for those around me. I was too preoccupied with my own four wheels to look in the rearview mirror.

I'd been driving two hours on a trip that would have taken me at most ninety minutes in my own car. By the time I rolled into the hotel parking lot driving the Winnebago had lost its mystery to me. Instead of being consumed by fear I now merely cursed the creation of such a monstrosity. Yet it got me here. I guessed I should be thankful. The far section of the lot had places marked off for RVs so I took a spot as far away from the buildings as I could.

After parking I went to the hotel lobby. Once there I located the restaurant off to the side and made my way over to the entrance of the eatery.

"May I help you, Ma'am?" The host said.

I had just started to tell him no when out of the corner of my eye I saw them emerge from an elevator: Dr. Crane and Mel, arm-in-arm, walking in my direction. _Think quickly, Daphne!_

"Could I see a menu please?" The host handed me one. "Thank you, I'd like to look it over."

"Of course." he replied.

I raised the opened menu in front of my face, and quickly I pivoted as the couple approached. Even though he came within millimeters of me, Dr. Crane thankfully didn't notice. For some reason though as they passed me he sniffed the air and let out a sigh. Then he hailed the host.

"Table for two please."

"This way, sir."

With that, Dr. Crane grasped Mel's elbow and the two followed the host in. I lowered the menu, but just as I did Mel turned around. Did I get the menu back up fast enough? Peeking around it, I saw Mel start to speak but then she shook her head and returned her attention to her boyfriend. That was a close call I didn't want to repeat.

My eyes followed the couple to their seats, and it was exactly like the vision I'd seen earlier in the day. The host placed them at a small, candle-lit table beside a picture window. Mel glanced out the window then jerked her head back around. For some reason she grabbed the chair which positioned her with her back to the window. I had my answer soon enough for this odd behavior. Her voice cut like a car alarm across the room.

"Heights."

Dr. Crane's face showed he was as puzzled as me.

"Heights?" he repeated. "It's only five feet from the window down to the ground."

"And your point is?" Mel said. No one could mistake the edge in her voice, least of all Dr. Crane. Instead of pursuing the matter, he finished the job of pulling out the chair for his girlfriend and seating her.

Dr. Crane took a chair that placed him perpendicular to the window. At least he would have a view to look at. He certainly wouldn't get a good one just staring at his girlfriend. _Stop that, Daphne!_

"Ma'am, would you like a seat?"

The host's return interrupted my concentration.

"Yes, please."

The man began to walk us straight to towards the empty table next to the couple. I couldn't have that.

"No, no. Please don't sit me there."

"Afraid of heights too?" The host said under his breath.

"No, I'm not." My anger rose but I got it back under control. "I'd just like some place...like this one over here." I pointed to a small table nearby yet one not in the line of sight of the couple.

"Very well, ma'am."

I've had worse meals but I don't remember when. Thinking back I don't even recall what I ordered or how much of it I ate. Every ounce of my concentration was focused two tables away. I continually leaned forward so that I could catch their conversation, dreading the prospect of hearing words from my vision.

Mel kept at Dr. Crane for them to move in together. Dr. Crane, bless his heart, resisted.

"If I didn't know any better I'd think you were still pining away for Maris." Mel said.

This brought a chortle from Dr. Crane before he spoke.

"You couldn't be further from the truth."

"Well, is there someone else making you hold back?"

This question brought on silence at their table. After more than a few moments, Dr. Crane finally said something.

"No. I've moved on with my life."

His words cut me like a knife.

"Niles Crane, what's holding you back? You're the most cautious man I've ever met. I'm beginning to suspect it's me that's the problem."

Mel had thrown down the gauntlet. I prayed that Dr. Crane wouldn't pick it up.

"You are not a problem, Mel." Regardless of what he said, Dr. Crane was struggling with his words.

"Prove it!"

"All right."

"So you agree we'll move in together." Mel said that like she was reading a contract.

"No."

Yes! Yes! Yes! Maybe my vision had been wrong.

"Nothing's changed, Niles. We're back to square one."

"Marry me, Mel."

No! No! No! This couldn't be happening. Now it was Mel's turn to sit in silence. At last, she spoke.

"This is so sudden, Niles."

"It's funny you should accuse me of being cautious. Just today Frasier was saying the same thing. He suggested that I needed to go beyond just baby steps in my life so now I am."

"Niles, this is so sudden." she repeated.

"How do you feel about me?"

"Like I want to spend the rest of my life making Niles Crane the success he deserves to be." Even if she meant well, that remark came out horrid. It even made Dr. Crane hesitate for a split second.

"So...is that a yes?"

Just say no, Mel.

"Yes, Niles Crane, I'll marry you."

"Good." he said.

She clapped her hands together several times. After that, Mel pulled out her planning book from her purse.

"Let's see. My schedule is pretty heavy the next three months. We'll likely need one week for the run-up to the wedding and two weeks for the honeymoon. It's beginning to look like the first good date would be the 17th of..."

"Let's get married in the morning, Mel."

"_What?_" I thought.

"What?" Mel asked.

"Why wait? There's no good time in your schedule and there's no good time in my schedule so we should go ahead and do it now."

"Do you know what you're saying?"

"I'm throwing caution to the wind. How about it?"

Mel hesitated but not long enough.

"Yes. Let's go ahead."

Things became just like my vision earlier in the day and I had to witness the horror all over again.

"Then it's settled. We'll find a Justice of the Peace in the morning."

"I can hardly wait. By this time tomorrow we'll be sitting here, only I won't be Dr. Mel Karnovsky any more."

"No, we'll be Dr. and Dr. Niles Crane."

Panic seized me. I had to do something but what? I flagged the waiter down and paid my check. Once I got into the lobby I paced back and forth. The happy couple were still sitting at their table having ordered a celebratory bottle of champaign.

Somehow I had to see Dr. Crane. I had to get this chain of events stopped. Someway I needed to attract his attention without Mel knowing. Desperate times called for desperate measures I had heard and no one was more desperate than me at that moment.

I looked back in the restaurant at where they were sitting. I noted their seating positions again: Mel with her back to the window, Dr. Crane to her side. In my frazzled state a wild plan hatched in my brain.


	4. Chapter 4: Like To Get To Know You

**First Name Basis**

Summary:

What if Daphne Moon tried to prevent Niles from marrying Mel? Story contains psychic visions, a bottle of wine, and the Winnebago!

Author's notes:

I do not own the TV show Frasier. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes only. I get no compensation from it.

*******Like To Get To Know You** *****

As I stood outside underneath the restaurant window in a flower bed, I surveyed that end of the building. A delicate lattice-work ran up the wall and cut off beneath the window. Ivy snaked its way through the openings. When I was a little girl I'd climbed things much more rickety than that a hundred times. The one hundred and first time didn't promise to be much different.

I made my way up the lattice quickly. I had to stand on my tip-toes to see in the window but I got a clear view of Mel's backside. It didn't look any better than the front side. She was in the middle of complaining to the waiter about the amount of whipped cream on her dessert. Dr. Crane was sitting at the side letting his eyes wander. He looked like he'd rather be any other place than where he was. Who could blame him?

Then Dr. Crane looked through the window. I raised one hand in a wave. As soon as I did my weight shifted. On a ladder it would have made no difference at all. On my present support it made all the difference in the world. A low creaking sound accompanied a shudder that went through the whole lattice. It started to give way.

Dr. Crane's mouth opened in shock.

"Daphne!"

That's all I heard. The lattice came crashing down with me to the ground. The early spring flowers and some freshly-spread mulch cushioned my fall. As soon as I hit I shrieked, just like in the vision. Despite my predicament I peered back up at the window. Dr. Crane stood there looking down at me with a mix of worry and bewilderment. Mel and the waiter soon joined him, but Dr. Crane disappeared. It seemed like hardly a second passed before I heard steps running toward me.

"Daphne! Daphne! Are you all right?"

Dr. Crane bent over me and stroked my forehead with his hand. I raised myself up. Miraculously I didn't have any broken bones, just a sore bum.

"Yes, I am, Dr. Crane. Would you help me to my feet?"

He grasped my arm and lifted me off the ground. His strength startled me. All of those games of squash with his brother had kept him in good shape. As I was getting oriented again, Mel appeared beside us.

"Daphne, are you hurt?" she asked.

"No, I don't think so."

"Let me check you over to be sure."

Even though Dr. Crane had had medical training, it made sense for Mel to be the one to examine me. After a minute of inspection, she made her judgement.

"You look OK. No concussion anyway."

"Daphne, what are you doing here?"

Both Dr. Crane and Mel crossed their arms.

"I..I..I..." Words would not form in my mouth.

"Oh, Niles, let's tell Daphne the news while she's thinking. Daphne, Niles and I are getting married!"

"I...I...I..." I still couldn't say anything but my whole body shuddered. My reaction didn't go unnoticed by Dr. Crane.

"Oh, Mel, you shouldn't have said anything. You've made Daphne upset."

Finally, after all these months, Dr. Crane noticed something about me!

"But why shouldn't I say something."

"Aren't you forgetting Daphne and Donny's wedding? I...we don't want to do anything to intrude on Daphne's, er, I mean their, big event."

Mel became contrite.

"Oh, I'd forgotten all about your wedding, Daphne. We won't say a word to anyone until later." With that, Mel made a disgustingly immature motion like she was zipping her mouth shut.

"Be that as it may, getting back to you, Daphne." Dr. Crane was not to be taken off the subject.

"I needed to talk to you."

"And you came all the way up here? Is it important?" Mel asked.

Her words made me seeth.

"Yes, important enough that I drove up in Mr. Crane's Winnebago." I pointed over to the edge of the parking lot where I'd left it.

That riveted Dr. Crane's attention on me.

"What's wrong? Has something happened to Dad?"

"No, it's not your father."

"Then is it Frasier?"

"No."

"Frederick? Roz?"

"No, no, nothing like illness or mishap, Dr. Crane."

"Well I'm at a loss, Daphne."

"Remember when I came to you for advice before Donny proposed?"

Dr. Crane slumped. It dawned on me just how much misery I'd put the poor man through. How he could still be my friend through all that I couldn't fathom. Yet here he was, the same gentle, sweet, caring man I'd met years ago. Only now his hideous bride-to-be was standing beside him.

If Dr. Crane had slumped, Mel had taken a more defiant posture. Her arms were already crossed, but she now dug her finger nails into the skin around each elbow. I sensed that she had discerned a connection between Dr. Crane and me that ran beyond mere friendship. In a flash, she moved her arm around his. Then she brought her free hand to his shoulder.

"Yes, I remember, Daphne." Dr. Crane said.

"I've had a recurrence of the problem I had back then."

Dr. Crane looked at me then Mel.

"Mel, could I have a word in private with Daphne?"

"Yes, Niles. I'll be in the lobby." Her eyes shot daggers at me as she left. Before parting, she brought her hand to Dr. Crane's cheek and guided his face around to her for a kiss. After that display she departed. His eyes followed her until she entered the building, then he turned back to me.

"You remember what I said then about how I couldn't talk to you in a professional sense, don't you?"

"But you said you would talk to me...as a friend." Dr. Crane nodded in agreement.

"Visions?" he asked.

"Yes, Dr. Crane. That's part of it."

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Tell me what you've seen, Daphne."

"I saw myself lying in the flower bed here just like I was a minute ago. It came to me while I was helping your father do his exercises this afternoon." I didn't care to mention the earlier vision about Dr. Crane and Mel.

One of Dr. Crane's eyebrows raised.

"Obviously something's got you upset. Lots of people have pre-wedding jitters. I myself had..."

"There's more, Dr. Crane."

"What?"

"Lately I've been thinking I'm missing something. That I'm supposed to have another life."

"Join the club."

"You see, over the last few weeks I've come to see people in a different light. I look at friends differently. One anyway."

Dr. Crane knotted his eyebrows together. He still saw himself as an observer of, not a participant in, my current distress.

"During momentous periods in their lives, people often rethink their relationships. Circumstances can cast those relationships in a different light."

For someone who said he couldn't talk to me in a professional sense he surely seemed like he was.

"I've been thinking about one person in particular. Someone who's always been one of my closest friends."

His left eye twitched.

"What's changed?"

"First I found out some information about him. A secret as it were about our relationship. He fancied that he was in love with me."

Dr. Crane's breathing got erratic.

"A secret admirer?"

"Yes, but that's not all."

"Please continue."

"After finding out about his secret, I started thinking."

"Let me get this straight. You have a friend, and he has held back this secret about how he truly feels about you for years."

Aha! Detective Martin Crane would have been proud of my powers of observation. Tacking on the words "for years" at the end confirmed matters for me.

"Yes. Now I don't know what to do." I said.

Dr. Crane took a second to compose himself.

"Well, Daphne, all I can say is that the man was an idiot to withhold the secret from you. Good relationships are built on openness. He should have stated his feelings clearly sometime during the past few years."

"I wish he had."

"I'm sure he wishes it too. Being too cautious in life can keep you from experiencing true happiness, or closure if nothing else. You know, Frasier was lecturing me on that just this morning."

"Funny you should say that. Your brother lectured me on much the same subject today."

Now I had really worried Dr. Crane.

"Daphne, I'll bet after all these years this friend has accepted the situation and moved on with his life. Although I'm certain he would want to retain his friendship with you. Who wouldn't be honored to count you among his friends?"

"But what if I wasn't certain I wanted to be his friend?"

Oh, dear, that came out wrong. Dr. Crane looked like a two-ton truck had hit him. His voice cracked when he next spoke.

"Daphne, please believe me. I'm sure this man never wanted to hurt you. Your friendship meant, means a lot to him."

"No, no, no. You don't understand. It's the opposite."

"What do you mean, Daphne?"

"What I mean is I don't know what to think about this man now. Is he my friend or should he be something more to me? For goodness sake we've never even been on a date."

"You have feelings for this man?"

This was the point where I should have made a direct statement to Dr. Crane. Yet my emotions fouled up what I said next.

"I don't know. I might. Oh, I can't tell, and he's with someone else now."

"Daphne..."

"What I want to know is how does he feel about me now?"

Silence surrounded us. Dr. Crane didn't speak. The lack of a response made me nervous. I looked down to the ground. In a moment I heard a rustling noise. When I raised my head a pair of blue eyes met mine at close range. Dr. Crane's arms encircled me and drew my lips to his.

The kiss took my breath away. I wrapped one arm around his waist and the other around his neck. Without a doubt I knew that Dr. Niles Crane was the man I'd been searching for all my life.

Dr. Crane pulled away abruptly.

"What?" I asked. I searched his eyes for an answer but saw only conflict raging across them.

Dr. Crane shook his head no vigorously. His voice took on a plaintive tone.

"Daphne, do you remember when we were going out with Rodney and Adele?"

Oh yes I certainly did. It was only during my last few troubled days that I realized that Rodney had been a substitute for Dr. Crane. His mannerisms, his vocabulary, his interests had all mimicked those of Dr. Crane. Yet he still remained only a pale imitation of the real thing.

Oddly, Rodney had fallen in love with Dr. Crane's new girlfriend Adele. We had both gotten dumped at the same time. Despite his own woes, Dr. Crane had taken it upon himself to console me.

"I remember we brought them together. After a fashion." I said.

"Remember when I met you at the bar afterwards?"

"I do."

"We fantasized about ourselves meeting there at another point in our lives."

"Yes." Hope welled up inside me.

"That was another point in our lives. You've made a commitment, and your friend has too." Dr. Crane said.

Dr. Crane had a hard time getting the words out of his mouth. Nonetheless, the finality of his statement meant that I had lost. I dropped my head. Dr. Crane lifted it back up with his fingers.

"Daphne, I'm one friend who'll always be in love with you, no matter where your path...or my path leads."

"A friend, Niles Crane?"

"A friend who loves you. I do love you, Daphne Moon."

"And I love you too."

Dr. Crane had to steady himself but then he drew himself up.

"Goodnight, Daphne."

"Goodnight, Dr. Crane."

With that he turned and walked back to the building. I hung my head in defeat.


	5. Chapter 5: Rescue Me

**First Name Basis**

Summary:

What if Daphne Moon tried to prevent Niles from marrying Mel? Story contains psychic visions, a bottle of wine, and the Winnebago!

Author's notes:

I do not own the TV show Frasier. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes only. I get no compensation from it.

*******Rescue Me** *****

I returned to the Winnebago and sat in the dark for hours. My state of despair had made me far too much of a risk to drive so I just sat there. Along about 6 am my cell phone rang. It was Martin. I didn't tell him any details about the conversation with his son. All I said was that I had stayed the night in the Winnebago by myself. Martin could tell something had gone badly wrong but he didn't push me. He soon signed off.

I'd never moved from the driver's seat on the Winnebago once I'd plopped down on it. After Martin's call exhaustion at last overtook me. I dozed off in the chair.

Some time later a knock on the door roused me. As soon as I moved a sharp pain ran through my neck. On top of everything else I'd gone to sleep with my head at an odd angle. Just one more thing to go amiss with my life. I let out a yelp of pain.

Before I could rouse myself to walk over to the door the sound of a key scratching around the lock signalled that whoever it was was coming in anyway. When the door swung open two familiar faces peered in.

"Daph, are you OK?"

"Yes I am, Martin. Just a crick in my neck. Come in."

Mr. Crane and his elder son climbed the steps. Once inside, they moved to the front. The father took the passenger seat across from me and the son settled in behind him.

"Martin, huh?" Dr. Crane looked first at me then his father.

"Why not, Son? We're all family."

"Well, then. I suppose it's only fitting that you call me Frasier from now on, Daphne."

"All right...Frasier."

Something good, albeit minor, had happened.

"We came up this morning to see how you were doing."

"Besides, Simon was too much underfoot for my tastes." Dr. Crane said while he wrinkled his nose.

Suddenly I thought of my brother. Where had the lout stayed last night when the Winnebago didn't return?

"Where did he sleep?"

"Oh, before he left for his usual evening of carousing I told him to use your room when he got back. Didn't hear a peep out of him until about 4 am. After the crashing sound I heard a low moan."

"Crashing sound?"

"Nothing a little spackle and paint can't take care of. How important was that unicorn collection to you?"

"Simon!" Something finally got my mind off Dr. Crane.

"Daph, that's not important right now. We came up here to see about you."

I cut to the chase.

"Your son's marrying Mel."

"He is? Did you talk to him?"

"I did but I didn't know the right words to say. It all went horribly wrong. Your son told me he loved me, and I said I loved him. But he wouldn't change his plans."

Martin and Frasier were taken aback.

"Niles did that?"

"I told you things went badly."

"After all these years you'd think my brother would smarten up. He's a fool, Daphne."

"Don't say that, Frasier. He's a good, decent man. That's one of the things that attracted me to him."

Martin brought up a related subject my mind had been avoiding.

"Are you going through with your wedding?"

"No. Donny's a good man too, and I know I made a promise to him. But he doesn't deserve a wife whose heart's not in the marriage."

My tears returned. Martin's exercises had paid off royally because in a flash he jumped up and grabbed me in a hug. Frasier stretched his arm over and rubbed my shoulder.

"Regardless of what happens, you still have a home with us. Right, Fras?"

"Absolutely, Dad."

When I'd dried my eyes Frasier shifted in his seat. I hadn't noticed but he'd been carrying a bag with him. From it Frasier produced Morey's wine bottle, his own prized antique cork screw, and a package of plastic cups.

"You know, Daph, when you gave this to me I said I'd save it for a special occasion. I can't think of a better time than to honor a friend for the courageous thing she did."

"No, Frasier, don't." I tried to keep him from opening the wine.

"Nope. Already opened." he replied as he pulled the cork free. Martin held out three cups and his son poured some in each. Soon enough each of us had a cup in hand. Frasier raised his and we followed suit.

"To better days."

"Better days." Martin and I repeated.

"Did it taste like you'd expected it to, Dr. Cr, er, I mean, Frasier?"

"Even better, Daph, even better."

We took a few more moments to finish downing our portions. Then Frasier and Martin looked at each other.

"We'd better be getting back to the city, Dad."

"What, you aren't going to see your brother and Mel?"

"Naw. We didn't come up here to see them. We came up here to see you."

"Thank you, Martin."

Leave it to Frasier to ask the obvious question.

"Are you going to be staying up here awhile? In the Winnebago?"

The questions reminded me of how bizarre my situation was.

"No, I'll get moving once I check out the loo and the shower on this battleship."

"Daph, do you want to ride back in the car? Dad or I one can drive the Winnebago back down."

"No, I learned quite a bit about steering this thing yesterday. Why, I might even take a spin up to Canada." I said.

Any hint of a smile vanished from both men's faces.

"Relax. I've got my green card now."

All three of us laughed at the memory of a long ago snafu involving a bear, a border, and another Winnebago.

"We'll leave you alone, Daph. See ya back in Seattle."

"See you there ya rotten old sods." They really had become family to me.

The Cranes let themselves out while I cleared away the glasses and put up the wine. Then I settled down in the driver's seat again. The melancholy that Frasier and Martin had driven away was creeping back. I let myself drift off into thinking about what might have been.

Suddenly there was another knock on the door. While cleaning up I had noticed that Frasier had left his antique cork screw on the dashboard. No doubt they'd gotten halfway home before Frasier realized the loss and turned around to retrieve it.

"Come in."

The door swung open with a whoosh of urgency. There stood not Frasier Crane not Martin Crane but the other Crane. Him. Involuntarily I rose from my chair. Dr. Niles Crane stepped up into the Winnebago.

"Ahm, Daphne. How would you like to go on a date?"

His eyes were pleading with me. I had to pick my mouth up off the floor.

"Oh, yes." I ran over to Dr. Crane and we enveloped each other in our arms. After a moment I grasped his face in my hands and kissed him. He returned my kiss with an ardor that took my breath away just like the night before. Too soon though he broke the kiss. For a moment I feared a repeat of last night's conclusion.

"There'll be time for kissing later. Right now there's an irate woman in the parking lot I'm not too keen on seeing. Ever again." My heart leaped at his words.

In the distance I heard Mel screaming.

"Niles, Niles Crane. You get out of that hideous pile of rolling sheet metal this instant! Do you hear me?"

"Well, let's get this battleship moving." I said as I jumped into the driver's seat.

All of a sudden my mind left the Winnebago and I entered a vision. It was the scene of Dr. Crane in a wedding chapel again. This time I saw more of the surroundings. It looked like one of those "get-married-quicks" that you'd never suspect someone like him to come within a hundred miles of. Yet there he was.

And like before he was placing a ring on a woman's finger. After he slid it on, he leaned forward and kissed her. As he pulled back I finally could see the face of the bride. It was me!

Frasier's toast had proved prophetic. Better days indeed were at hand.

As quickly as the vision came it left and I found myself behind the wheel. Dr. Crane had slipped into the passenger seat. After I started the engine, he reached over and squeezed my hand with the most loving look in his eyes. Ever attentive, he noticed something amiss and pulled out my seat belt for me.

"Strap yourself in, Daphne."

"Strap yourself in too, Niles."

*******Author's notes** *****

I hope you enjoyed this alternative route to Daphne and Niles getting together! Especially an alternative without that marriage to Mel. Consider submitting a review; they are welcomed.

If you liked this story, you might also check out "Frasier Returns: The Boss and Her Friend" about Roz and Frasier.


End file.
